What if…

When combined, “what” and “if” are lethal. That’s the stuff nightmares are made of. That being said, being humans, we are not immune to mistakes and regrets. Many a time, you can’t help it.

But some mistakes tend to eat away at your conscience, and you can’t help but wish that time turners were real. That, or wishing for a reset button. But fortunately or unfortunately, life doesn’t give do-overs. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get second chances. And if you’re really lucky, you manage to not blow it.

We can console ourselves by believing (read: lying to ourselves) that whatever has happened was fate. Hold on to the belief that it was not in our control… that there was nothing we could have done. That it was just meant to be. Blame it all on fate – the four-letter word that some of us rely on to explain how life turned out for us. Be it joy or despair, smiles or tears, hope or misery, we attribute it all to fate all the same.

Sometimes we hesitate to take chances or seize opportunities because we are too focused on the flip side. We are too scared of failing that we dare not even try. What if things don’t work out well? What if it’s going to be one of the biggest mistakes in our life? The scenarios that the nasty, little voices in our head come up don’t make things easier either. What we often fail to understand is that we will never stop wondering about how things would have turned out, if only we hadn’t given in to our fears.

Life is short. Seize the opportunity while you can. Carpe Diem. So many fancy words, but it all boils down to the same thing. Never drive yourself to the point where the “what ifs” and “if onlys” keep you awake at night, taunting and tormenting you.

There’s nothing you can do about the past. Like they say, the past is dead and gone. The future is not in your hands yet. So, all you’re left with, is, the present. Your present determines your future.

Regret is one of the most toxic poisons life has to offer. Never let the “what ifs” burn you. This quote from The Diary of a Young Girl is rather evocative. It’s the kind of thought that stops you in your tracks and makes you think deeply.

Seize the moment, don’t let go opportunities pass by. What might seem like quite the trials and tribulations might not seem the same way, in the long run. Take every chance life throws at you, and then some.

Life freely. Never hesitate to take chances. Don’t let the voices in your head (or the ones from the society) stop you from following your heart. Take control of your own destiny. 🙂